Chapter 1775: Dao Trace
"The Eternal Silent Void Realm created by the False Universe Survivor could be an option," Xuanyuan Hong proposed first. "In the last cycle, I failed to inscribe the trace of [Truth and Falsehood]. But this time, after devouring my original self, my comprehension has evolved, undergoing a fundamental transformation. Perhaps it's time to try again."
"What about you becoming a god?" the Fate Slayer Lord asked, his words startling.
"Even if you've grasped the power of Truth and Falsehood, becoming a savior is no simple feat. You still need to patiently endure a few more cycles, observing every possible change," the Fishing Old Man countered, his tone less optimistic.
...
Though they were of one heart and mind, the God-Becoming Guests still held differing opinions on this matter.
Zhang Fan simply listened, not voicing his own opinion just yet.
"Regardless, we must first pay our respects to Seniors True Death Hidden and False Universe Survivor."
After ensuring Rinsing Moon Bai was safely settled, Zhang Fan, with the help of the Fishing Old Man and the others, set out to find True Death Hidden, who was concealed somewhere within the Mountain and Sea.
It had to be said, True Death Hidden lived up to his name, his hiding place exceptionally secret.
In the end, it took a systematic, dragnet-style search by all the God-Becoming Guests to finally locate him.
"Mobilizing such a force... you can't be here with good intentions," True Death Hidden said, his gaze fixed on the crowd that had suddenly appeared before him.
Zhang Fan sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice. "You may not believe this, fellow Daoist, but I've come to repay a debt of gratitude."
"Repay a debt?" True Death Hidden sneered.
"You understand the principles of my [Death and Hiddenness] Dao. You must have acquired that knowledge by killing me in the last cycle. No wonder I have some vague recollection of you. And this time, you've gathered so many accomplices..."
A fierce glint appeared in True Death Hidden's eyes. "Enough nonsense! Let's get on with it! You may have numbers on your side, but I, True Death Hidden, am not one to be easily intimidated!"
Faced with this misunderstanding, Zhang Fan simply replied, "You used the Dao of [Death and Hiddenness] as your brush, attempting to paint the nature of [Truth and Falsehood], yet you could never grasp it. Now that the Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood is right before you, do you not wish to see it?"
"Hmm?"
And so, under the influence of Same Heart Same Virtue, the misunderstanding vanished.
True Death Hidden was ecstatic, a completely different person from moments before.
"Excellent! Excellent! I never imagined you would actually succeed!"
"The Great Dao of Truth and Falsehood... it is truly wondrous beyond measure!"
The deathly pale light that flickered around his body deepened as, through Zhang Fan's perspective, he finally beheld the ultimate truth he had so long pursued.
True Death Hidden, who already stood at the pinnacle of the Mountain and Sea, felt his power surge, advancing by leaps and bounds in a matter of moments.
In truth, after glimpsing the nature of Truth and Falsehood, all the God-Becoming Guests had gained new insights.
But the connection between their own Dao paths and that of Truth and Falsehood was nowhere near as intimate as True Death Hidden's.
Consequently, their gains were considerably smaller.
After meeting with True Death Hidden, the last one to find was the False Universe Survivor.
"I wonder if any trace was left behind in that world of his."
Their question was answered soon enough.
With True Death Hidden leading the way, the moment they re-entered the Eternal Silent Void Realm, Zhang Fan felt a faint, almost imperceptible sense of familiarity.
There, standing at the center of the world, was the False Universe Survivor. His expression was grave as he stared at an imprint that should not exist.
"It wasn't fully preserved... it's just a faint, lingering remnant. But..."
"This is an absolutely fantastic start!"
Everyone was overjoyed, as if they had finally seen a glimmer of hope.
After another application of Same Heart Same Virtue, the False Universe Survivor's confusion was dispelled.
He was even more excited than the other God-Becoming Guests. "To have a part is to have the potential for the whole! If this trace can be made complete, this eternal world might truly be able to birth its very own [Truth and Falsehood]!"
Finally, they found the Empty Daoist, and for the first time in ages, a scene of unprecedented harmony unfolded across the Mountain and Sea.
United by Same Heart Same Virtue, they all aided Zhang Fan in painting the scroll of [Truth and Falsehood].
Their goal was to etch its trace into reality itself.
At the same time, the God-Becoming Guests were discussing the possibility of helping Zhang Fan achieve godhood.
"In the long cycles of samsara, we have all defeated the Mountain and Sea and attained godhood at one point or another."
"However, according to my original self's memories, the [Star] we faced after becoming gods wasn't the manifestation of the fallen True God. It was the true Mountain and Sea itself."
"In other words, though we call ourselves God-Becoming Guests, we were merely false gods."
"But Daoist friend Zhang Fan... he may have a chance to become a [True God]."
...
This was the best plan they could devise after their collective deliberation.
All things return to the divine; how could this fate be reversed? Even standing at the apex of all living beings, pooling all their wisdom and strength, they could not find an answer.
"Only by becoming a True God might a solution be found."
"The only question is," Zhang Fan voiced, "after becoming a True God... will I still be me?"
His gaze swept across the faces of the others.
Although the memories he had inherited from his original self were fragmented, the fear of that final return to the divine was terrifyingly clear.
"Therefore, this step must be taken with the utmost caution."
"After all... what truly happens after one becomes a god... no one in this world knows."
"We are but tiny points of consciousness, living on a single link in the chain of an endless samsara."
He didn't rush to a decision. This cycle had only just begun, and there was still plenty of time to prepare.
The process of painting the scroll of Truth and Falsehood went more smoothly than Zhang Fan had expected.
Perhaps the battle in which he had devoured his original self had triggered another fundamental transformation within him.
He easily accomplished what neither he nor his original self had been able to do in the last cycle.
Within the Eternal Silent Void Realm, a boundless scroll of a painting flickered into existence.
It appeared within the world, yet at the same time, seemed to contain the entire world within its frame.
It was there for only an instant before it vanished without a trace.
But everyone had seen it clearly.
"This world is no longer empty."
The False Universe Survivor wept with joy. Under the influence of Same Heart Same Virtue, the other God-Becoming Guests were also overwhelmed with emotion.
"Our priority now is to find a way to delay the arrival of the end."
"We must give [Truth and Falsehood] time to be born from this trace."
Zhang Fan nodded. "The trace of Truth and Falsehood has been made, but it is, after all, only an imprint. It cannot escape the flux between what is real and what is not."
"With every reset, I fear the trace will be greatly diminished. Only when a [Truth and Falsehood] native to this realm is born can we counter one with the other."
"Only then can we leave behind an unchanging constant through the endless resets."
"Another constant, besides me, the outsider," Zhang Fan repeated.
Now that a consensus was reached, it was time for the God-Becoming Guests to display their extraordinary powers.
"We've remained hidden for so long. It's time we became a little more active."
The Fate Slayer Lord was the first to speak. "I'll go to the Primitive Immortal Realm and forcibly shatter their ambitions. If we want to extend the life of the Mountain and Sea as long as possible, our first task must be to reconnect it, to strengthen it from within. Only Saints have the power to traverse the void and forge those connections. The inhabitants of the Primitive Immortal Realm will serve as our workforce."
For some reason, a flicker of excitement crossed the usually languid eyes of the Fishing Old Man.
He stood up abruptly. "I'll go with you. Hehehe, it's been a long time since I've had a proper fight. My hands are getting itchy."
If it were only the Fate Slayer Lord, one God-Becoming Guest, there might have been some complications.
But with the Fishing Old Man joining him...
...the Saints of the Primitive Immortal Realm, no matter how numerous, wouldn't be able to make so much as a ripple.
Of this, everyone present was absolutely certain.
After all, only those who had become gods could truly understand the immense chasm between the divine and the mortal.
Though they had only been transient gods, the transformation that experience had wrought was more than enough to overwhelm any other Saint in the Mountain and Sea.
And that was without even mentioning the power of [Truth and Falsehood] they now possessed.
The Primitive Immortal Realm.
A world of flourishing life, teeming with hidden strife.
After countless years of conflict, this realm had settled into a delicate, strange equilibrium.
The Saints were all lying low, quietly waiting for some new variable to emerge that might grant them an opportunity to achieve godhood.
Yet, the arrival of the Fate Slayer Lord and the Fishing Old Man went completely unnoticed.
The Fishing Old Man looked around, a nostalgic expression on his face. "It's been a long time since I last came to this place."
"I was just like them back then, stubbornly clinging to a futile path."
The Fate Slayer Lord felt no such nostalgia. His tone was chilling as he said, "Waking them up ahead of time is actually a kindness."
"Let's begin."
The moment the Fate Slayer Lord finished speaking, every Saint in the realm—no matter where they were hidden or what form they had taken—was horrified to discover a blade hovering silently above their head, a blade that existed in the space between reality and illusion, truth and falsehood.
It had no physical form, yet it could not be dispelled by any means.
With that blade hanging over them, they felt as if their very lives hung by a thread.
"Who is it?"
Most of the Saints were enraged, trying to find the master behind the phantom blade.
A few, sensing the grave danger, attempted to flee the realm and escape into the greater Mountain and Sea.
However, the moment they were about to leave the Primitive Immortal Realm, their vision went black.
Then, they found themselves trapped in an unknown space.
"Just stay put for now."
A calm voice drifted down from above, carrying an authority that could not be questioned.
"That voice..."
"The Mountain Sea Angler?"
"His power... is this terrifying?"
The Saints were terrified, their minds reeling with countless questions.
To locate every Saint in an instant, to capture them all with a single thought...
What level of power was this?
If they were this powerful, why had they never participated in the struggle for godhood?
As they grappled with their confusion, more figures were tossed into the space from above, one after another.
They were all familiar faces from the Primitive Immortal Realm.
The Saints grew even more horrified.
Rounding up the entire Primitive Immortal Realm hadn't taken much time at all.
"Hah, how boring. I thought they would at least put up some resistance," the Fate Slayer Lord sighed.
"I can let them all out, and you can try again. Without using the power of Truth and Falsehood this time," the Fishing Old Man suggested with a smile.
"Never mind. Too much trouble." The Fate Slayer Lord shrugged.
Then, he sighed again. "The power of Truth and Falsehood is indeed infinitely profound. But ultimately, it doesn't belong to us. I'm afraid that in the next cycle, without Same Heart Same Virtue and the empowerment of this Dao, it will be difficult to adjust. I fear greed will take root in my heart."
"Just like how we once pursued godhood. Even though we knew it was impossible, the obsession was hard to shake."
"If that really happens..."
"...please, stop me," the Fate Slayer Lord said with utmost gravity.
"The same goes for me," the Fishing Old Man replied, his smile gone.
A moment later.
"Well, it's been a long time since we had such a bountiful harvest. This calls for a celebration!"
A gourd appeared in the Fishing Old Man's hand. He took a long drink before casually tossing it to the Fate Slayer Lord.
The Fate Slayer Lord accepted it without hesitation and took a hearty swig.
Then, the two of them glanced at the now-silent Primitive Immortal Realm and quietly departed.
The assembled Saints were released.
Although they were free, the blades hanging over their heads remained, and none of them did anything foolish.
"The path to godhood is an illusion. You should all stop this useless effort," the Fate Slayer Lord announced coldly. "Of course, I know that words alone won't convince you. That's why I've placed a blade over each of your heads."
"Please, all of you, assist in reconnecting the Mountain and Sea. The day it is rebuilt, I will grant you your freedom."
Though his words were polite, even using the word "please," the Saints could feel the sharp edge of the blades above them press closer. Left with no choice, they all nodded in agreement.
"However, the Mountain and Sea is boundless. To successfully reconnect it..." Tower began, his voice heavy, "Even with all of us, I'm afraid our efforts would be but a drop in the ocean."
"Don't worry. You only need to lead," replied Zhang Fan, who had appeared before them.
With a single thought, hundreds, then thousands of phantoms split off from his body.
"I will use the True Spirit Infusion method to continuously create Saints of the Mountain and Sea. You will lead, and these newly created Saints will assist. With everyone working together, even with the thousands of chasms that now divide the Mountain and Sea, it won't take long to reconnect it."
"'True Spirit Infusion'? 'Creating Saints'?" The Saints of the Primitive Immortal Realm were shaken to their core.
The Mountain and Sea they thought they knew had shattered in an instant.
They suddenly realized that the truth of their world was far deeper than they had ever imagined.
Power compelled them.
Even if they were unwilling, with the blades urging them on, the Saints had no choice but to comply.
Reconnecting the Mountain and Sea was indeed a tedious and arduous task. Even with the power of the Primitive Saints, and even with a continuous stream of new Saints to assist, the long process of reconstruction wore them down, body and soul.
However, after the blade above unceremoniously struck down [Snare], who had tried to escape this fate, the remaining Saints became completely obedient.
They resigned themselves to their task.
Snare had not been killed.
The Fate Slayer Lord's blade had flashed, and Snare lost his Dao, falling from the realm of Saints.
But he was then forcibly infused with a new True Spirit, given a different Dao path, and sent back to the great project of reconnecting the Mountain and Sea.
His new circumstances, however, were far less comfortable than before.
Like all the other endlessly created Saints, he now had to physically travel through the void, using his own body as a bridge to build the pathways reconnecting the world.
The Primitive Saints, by contrast, only needed to oversee the grand scheme, intervening at critical moments to ensure everything went smoothly.
The difference between their roles might not have seemed significant at first, but over time, the disparity was like the difference between heaven and earth.
Snare's fate completely extinguished any thoughts of escape among the other Primitive Saints.
Although the project of reconnecting the Mountain and Sea was long, at least it was not endless.
If they just endured it, it would eventually be over.
The day the Mountain and Sea was reconnected, they would be free.
Given the power of these "God-Becoming Guests" like the Fate Slayer Lord and the Fishing Old Man, they surely wouldn't go back on their word.
"Daoist friend Fan, your method is truly brilliant. I originally thought suppressing and supervising them would take a great deal of effort."
"I didn't expect the Saints to be so compliant. It saved us a lot of trouble," the Forgetful Old Man said in admiration.
"It's just..."
The God-Becoming Guests looked toward the Eternal Silent Void Realm.
The birth of Truth and Falsehood still seemed a distant prospect.
"What if the Mountain and Sea is reconnected, and the new Truth and Falsehood still hasn't arrived?"
Zhang Fan's face was calm, his eyes profound. "Then the Saints of the Mountain and Sea will simply have to suffer a little longer."
(End of this chapter)
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